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A ‘most vicious’ man: Who is Demetrius Frazier, set to be executed for woman’s murder

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A ‘most vicious’ man: Who is Demetrius Frazier, set to be executed for woman’s murder



Demetrius Frazier is set to die by nitrogen gas on Thursday for the robbery, rape and murder of Pauline Brown in 1991. His attorneys argue that the execution method is cruel and unusual.

This story contains details of a disturbing, violent crime.

A killer and rapist described by one police investigator as the “most vicious person” he’s ever come across is set to become the fourth inmate executed by nitrogen gas in the U.S. since Alabama began using the controversial method last year.

Demetrius Terrence Frazier, 52, is set to die by nitrogen gas on Thursday for the robbery, rape and murder of 41-year-old Pauline Brown on Nov. 26, 1991, in Birmingham, Alabama. If the execution moves forward, Frazier will be the first inmate executed in Alabama this year and the third in the nation.

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Frazier is facing a “barbaric, state-induced gasping and gruesome conscious suffocation,” Stephen Cooper, a former assistant federal public defender in Montgomery, Alabama, wrote in a column published by the Montgomery Advertiser. Cooper worked with Frazier between 2012 and 2015 and said he spent “long hours” fighting to spare Frazier from execution.

Frazier and his attorneys argue that the nitrogen gas method is a breach of Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment, but the state’s Attorney General has rejected the arguments.

“Mr. Frazier chose to be executed by nitrogen hypoxia in June 2018 and we will honor his request,” the office said in a statement. (Frazier could have chosen either electrocution or lethal injection, instead.)

As Frazier’s execution approaches, USA TODAY is looking back at the crime, who Frazier and his victim were and what led him down a path that will end in his own execution.

What was Demetrius Frazier convicted of?

Pauline Brown lived at the Fountain Heights Apartment complex in Birmingham with her two adult daughters, Phyllis Denise Brown and Pamela Denita Brown, the now defunct Birmingham Post-Herald previously reported.

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In the early morning of Nov. 26, 1991, two days before Thanksgiving, Frazier admitted to police that he broke into the apartment, stole some money from one of the bedrooms and then found Brown in another bedroom, according to court documents.

Armed with a .22-caliber pistol, Frazier woke Brown up and demanded more money. Brown gave Frazier $80 from her purse.

Frazier told police that he then raped Brown at gunpoint, during which Brown begged for Frazier to not kill her. Frazier told police that when Brown refused to stop begging for her life, he shot her in the back of the head.

Frazier said he “didn’t like whiny women who pleaded for their lives,” Detroit homicide Detective Monica Childs, who interviewed Frazier, said during his trial, according to previous reporting by the Birmingham Post-Herald.

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After confirming Brown was dead, Frazier ate two bananas from the kitchen, left the apartment and threw the gun in a ditch, according to court documents.

Questions about Brown’s killing would go unanswered for about four months, until Frazier was arrested for an unrelated attempted rape and murder in Detroit in March 1992. During an interrogation with Detroit police, Frazier admitted to killing Brown.

An Alabama jury convicted Frazier of three counts of capital murder and he was sentenced to death.

A string of other rape, murder charges

In September 1991, just two months before Brown’s murder, Frazier broke into a Detroit home armed with a knife, raped the homeowner several times, and told her he was doing it as part of a bet, according to court documents.

In early 1992, Frazier was charged with the first-degree murder of 14-year-old Crystal Kendrick, whom he tried to rape and then murdered when she tried to flee, according to media reports. Frazier was serving a life sentence for Crystal’s murder in Michigan before he was transferred to an Alabama facility in 2011.

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When he was arrested for Crystal’s murder in 1992, Frazier was facing 35 pending felonies, according to reports..

Frazier asks federal court to block use of nitrogen gas

Alabama authorized the use of nitrogen gas in 2018 and the state executed the first U.S. inmate in history in January 2024, using the method on Kenneth Smith. The execution took about 22 minutes, during which Smith reportedly convulsed, shook and gasped for air before losing consciousness, USA TODAY previously reported. After Smith, Alabama administered two more nitrogen gas executions in September and November.

Frazier and his lawyers asked a federal judge during a Jan. 28 hearing to block his nitrogen gas execution, claiming the method is a cruel and unusual punishment.

“Something is going wrong,” Frazier’s attorney, Spencer Hahn, said at the hearing, according to the Associated Press. “Every inmate who has been executed by nitrogen gas has exhibited signs of consciousness beyond the 40 seconds” that was predicted by the state.

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During the hearing, two anesthesiologists presented competing testimonies on the affects of nitrogen gas. One claimed the method ensures distress for an individual and the other said bodily movements, which have been reported during and following the use of nitrogen gas, don’t necessarily indicate pain.

Who is Demetrius Frazier?

Frazier’s childhood was “so rife with neglect, abuse and crushing poverty it rivals the saddest of sad prison stories,” Frazier’s former attorney, Cooper, wrote in the column. He didn’t elaborate.

Frazier was raised by his mother, Carol Frazier, without paternal support and guidance, and was briefly in the custody of social services, according to Michigan Department of Corrections pre-sentence investigation reports obtained by USA TODAY.

Carol described her son as “hard-headed” and said Frazier often snuck out of the house at night to commit crimes, the reports say.

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Frazier dropped out of high school but later obtained his GED from the now defunct W.J Maxey Boys Training School in Michigan, according to the reports. The training school was a juvenile correctional facility that served boys and men between the ages of 12 and 21.

Frazier was charged as a juvenile with carrying a concealed weapon, and violating probation for breaking and entering, and violation of probation for carrying a concealed weapon, according to the reports. Frazier was put on probation for the first two violations and committed to social services for placement for the latter.

Frazier known for aggressive behavior in courtroom

Throughout the trial for his murder case, Frazier was known by court staff and the jury to be aggressive.

According to court documents, Frazier threw a pen at the jury box, cursed at the majority white jury as being racist (Frazier is Black), accused one of his defense attorneys of conspiring with prosecutors and rebelling against the judge’s orders.

For a period of time, Frazier was even removed from the courtroom, forced to watch his trial from a small room connected to the courtroom to avoid further disruptions, the Birmingham Post-Herald previously reported.

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During his Michigan trial for the murder of Crystal Kendrick, Frazier punched an assistant prosecutor in the face, which resulted in a mild concussion, the Detroit Free Press previously reported.

The newspaper reported that Kenneth Bresnahan, the Detroit investigator that Frazier reportedly admitted Brown’s murder to, called Frazier the “most vicious person” he had ever come across.

Frazier, lawyers seek transfer back to Michigan

Frazier is on death row in Alabama for Brown’s murder, but he and his lawyers have been fighting for his transfer back to Michigan, where the death penalty is illegal.

In 2011, the governors of Michigan and Alabama entered into an executive agreement to relinquish Frazier to Alabama for the remainder of his Alabama sentence.

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In a court filing, the Michigan Department of Corrections said the state “does not seek to return Frazier to a Michigan correctional facility.”

Contributing: Marty Roney, Montgomery Advertiser

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.



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Alabama NFL roundup: Where was Derrick Henry?

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Alabama NFL roundup: Where was Derrick Henry?


Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry ran for 128 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries against the New England Patriots on Sunday.

Henry opened the scoring with a 21-yard run with 12:21 left in the first quarter and scored on a 2-yard run as Baltimore took an 11-point lead with 12:50 remaining.

But he did not get on the field again, and the Ravens lost to the Patriots 28-24.

New England answered Henry’s second touchdown with one of their own (plus a 2-point conversion) to cut Baltimore’s lead to three points with 9:01 to play.

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When the Ravens, playing without starting quarterback Lamar Jackson by that point, took possession, they had Keaton Mitchell at running back. He carried the football on two of Baltimore’s six snaps before the Ravens punted.

New England scored another touchdown with 2:07 left to take a four-point lead. Baltimore took the field without Henry again and threw two passes. The second was completed, but fumbled, and the Patriots recovered to seal their victory.

After the game, Ravens coach John Harbaugh was asked if Henry should have been in the backfield after New England cut the lead to three points.

“I mean, yeah,” Harbaugh said. “I mean, I look back, and I say yeah. …

“Looking back, would I rather have Derrick starting the drive? Yeah, but you know, Derrick was kind of ready for Keaton to start that drive, and then he was planning on coming in next. So they were working that rotation. You look back on it, I think it’s pretty easy to say he should have been in there or shouldn’t have been in there, but we’re rotating those guys throughout the game as two backs. But yeah, game-winning drive, do I want Derrick Henry in the on the field? Sure, I do want him on the field.”

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Mitchell finished the game with 13 yards on nine carries.

“We’ve been doing the rotation for how many weeks,” Henry said. “Keaton’s doing a great job in the run game. We’re both in there doing the best we can. We got a lot of good players, so everybody has to get their touches, get opportunities. And Keaton is deserving of it.”

Between the touchdowns, Henry lost a fumble at the New England 32-yard line in the first quarter.

Including the playoffs, Henry has 33 games with at least 128 rushing yards. Sunday night’s contest was the third that his team had lost.

The loss dropped Baltimore two games behind the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North race with two games to play. The Ravens play the Green Bay Packers on Saturday and the Steelers play the Cleveland Browns on Sunday before Baltimore and Pittsburgh square off in the regular-season finale on Jan. 4.

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Henry was among the 39 former Alabama players who got on the field on the 16th Sunday of the NFL’s 106th season.

Four other former Alabama players were involved in the New England-Baltimore game:

  • Christian Barmore started at defensive tackle for the Patriots. Barmore registered one quarterback hit.
  • Patriots tight end CJ Dippre was designated as a game-day inactive. 
  • Marlon Humphrey (Hoover) started at cornerback for the Ravens. Humphrey made six tackles, intercepted one pass and broke up another. Humphrey picked off quarterback Drake Maye at the Baltimore 4-yard line in the first quarter. Humphrey’s third interception of the season was the 22nd of his career. That’s tied for the fifth-most by a former Alabama player in the NFL with Russ Craft and Kareem Jackson. Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings (Dadeville) recorded his second sack of the season.
  • Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings (Dadeville) recorded his second sack of the season.



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IU football game 14: Early facts, odds, projections, details vs. Alabama

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IU football game 14: Early facts, odds, projections, details vs. Alabama


Three wins to a national title.

Every game from here out is the biggest in IU football history.

In a national quarterfinal matchup, the No. 1 Hoosiers (13-0) will face No. 9 Alabama (11-3) on Thursday, Jan. 1 at 4 p.m. ET at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. (ESPN).  The game marks the first ever meeting of these programs.

Indiana and Alabama could not have more different histories.

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Alabama claims 18 national titles and 30 conference championships, while IU has never won a national title and can claim just three league titles.  Alabama has the third-most wins in college football history, while the Hoosiers have the second-most losses.

But while the game is a historical mismatch, Indiana will take the field as the favorite.

Most sports books have IU as a 6.5 to 7-point favorite over the Crimson Tide in The Rose Bowl.

In the analytical models, ESPN’s Football Power Index gives No. 1 Indiana a 71.4% chance to beat No. 8 Alabama.  ESPN’s SP+ likes No. 2 Indiana over No. 15 Alabama by 13.1 points.

Alabama played five games against teams currently ranked in the CFP Top-25:  Two games against Georgia and Oklahoma, and a game against Vanderbilt.  The Tide went 3-2 in those games.

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FPI says Alabama played the sixth-hardest schedule this season, while IU played the 28th most difficult.  Meanwhile IU has the No. 1 strength of record, and Alabama No. 10.

The lone common opponent for Indiana and Alabama is Wisconsin, a team both the Hoosiers and Crimson Tide beat on their respective home fields by 24 points.

Alabama is led by head coach Kalen DeBoer, who is in his second season in charge in Tuscaloosa.  DeBoer is 20-7 in his two seasons at Alabama, and 124-19 overall as a head coach.  He and former IU quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. led Washington to the national championship game in 2023.

DeBoer is one of several members of the Alabama coaching staff who were once coaches at Indiana.

DeBoer was the IU offensive coordinator in 2019.  Crimson Tide quarterbacks coach Nick Sheridan was at IU from 2017-2021 and was offensive coordinator the last two years.  Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack was at IU from 2018-2020 and defensive coordinator the last two years.  Defensive backs coach Jason Jones was the IU safeties coach from 2020-2022.  And strength coach David Ballou is an IU alumnus and was the IU strength coach from 2018-2020.

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Alabama is No. 39 nationally in scoring offense, putting up 31.4 points per contest.  Indiana is the nation’s No. 2 scoring defense at 10.8 points allowed per game.

The Crimson Tide are No. 13 in scoring defense, allowing just 17.9 an outing.  IU is No. 4 in scoring offense at 41.9 points per contest.  The most points scored by any team against Alabama this season was 31 by Florida State in a season-opening loss.

6-foot-2 junior quarterback Ty Simpson has completed 64.1 % of his throws for 3,500 yards, with 28 touchdowns and just five interceptions.  Including sacks, he has rushed for just 76 yards and two touchdowns this season.

PFF grades Alabama as having the No. 31 offense, the No. 14 defense, and the No. 22 special teams in the country.

The weather shouldn’t be a factor in this game.  Rain is rare in Southern California this time of year, and the temperature should be pleasant.  The current long-term forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and a high of 67 degrees.  We’ll check back on this as the game gets closer.

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We will of course have much more on this game in the days to come.

TICKETS AND PARKING

The game is sold out.

If you are looking for tickets and/or parking, consider using our StubHub affiliate links at no additional cost to you:

  • For game tickets via StubHub:  TICKETS
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THE UPDATED CFP BRACKET

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For complete coverage of IU football, GO HERE.


The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”



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January 1 Indiana vs. Alabama Rose Bowl tickets, game time, TV channel

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January 1 Indiana vs. Alabama Rose Bowl tickets, game time, TV channel


In the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff, the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers (13-0) will play the No. 10 Alabama Crimson Tide (11-3) in the Rose Bowl, starting at 4 p.m. ET in Pasadena, California. Indiana is favored by 7 points.

Learn how to get tickets to the Hoosiers vs. Crimson Tide matchup.

Shop Alabama football tickets at StubHub

Indiana vs. Alabama tickets for sale

Indiana vs. Alabama location, livestream, TV channel

  • When: Thursday, January 1, 2026 at 4 p.m. ET
  • Location: Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California
  • TV: ESPN
  • Live stream: Watch LIVE with Fubo! (Regional restrictions may apply)

Indiana leaders

  • Fernando Mendoza has 2,980 yards through the air (229.2 per game) and a 71.5% completion percentage (226-for-316), pitching 33 touchdown passes and six interceptions. He also has 240 rushing yards on 69 carries (with six touchdowns).
  • Roman Hemby has run for a team-high 918 yards (70.6 per game) and tallied six touchdowns.
  • So far this season Kaelon Black has rushed for 798 yards (61.4 per game), with seven touchdowns.
  • Omar Cooper Jr. has grabbed 59 passes for a team-high 828 yards plus 11 touchdowns. He averages 63.7 receiving yards per game.
  • Elijah Sarratt has been targeted 73 times and added 663 yards (on 50 catches) plus 12 touchdowns.
  • Charlie Becker has caught 26 passes on 35 targets for 515 yards and two touchdowns.

Indiana schedule and tickets

Indiana vs. Wisconsin

  • Date: 11/15/2025
  • Score: W 31-7
  • Home/Away: Home
  • Tickets: StubHub

Indiana vs. Purdue

  • Date: 11/28/2025
  • Score: W 56-3
  • Home/Away: Away
  • Tickets: StubHub

Indiana vs. Ohio State

  • Date: 12/6/2025
  • Score: W 13-10
  • Home/Away: Away
  • Tickets: StubHub

Next game: Indiana vs. Alabama

  • Date: 1/1/2026
  • Home/Away: Home
  • Spread: -7
  • Tickets: StubHub

Shop Indiana football tickets at StubHub

Alabama leaders

  • Ty Simpson has thrown for 3,500 yards while completing 64.1% of his passes, with 28 touchdowns and five interceptions (250.0 yards per game).
  • Jamarion Miller has run for a team-high 504 yards on 130 attempts (50.4 yards per game) and three touchdowns.
  • Daniel Hill has 271 yards on 70 carries (24.6 yards per game), with six rushing touchdowns. He also has 21 catches for 198 yards and one touchdown.
  • Germie Bernard has racked up 60 catches for 802 yards, best on his team, and seven touchdowns. He averages 61.7 receiving yards per game.
  • Ryan Williams has chipped in with 43 catches for 636 yards and four touchdowns this year. He has been targeted 70 times, and averages 53.0 receiving yards.
  • Isaiah Horton has caught 40 passes on 58 targets for 495 yards and eight touchdowns.

Alabama schedule and tickets

Alabama vs. Auburn

  • Date: 11/29/2025
  • Score: W 27-20
  • Home/Away: Away
  • Tickets: StubHub

Alabama vs. Georgia

  • Date: 12/6/2025
  • Score: L 28-7
  • Home/Away: Home
  • Tickets: StubHub

Alabama vs. Oklahoma

  • Date: 12/19/2025
  • Score: W 34-24
  • Home/Away: Away
  • Tickets: StubHub

Next game: Alabama vs. Indiana

  • Date: 1/1/2026
  • Home/Away: Away
  • Spread: -7
  • Tickets: StubHub

Shop Alabama football tickets at StubHub

Watch college football on Fubo!

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